Demnoph
Demnoph (/dəm'nɔf/) is a planet in the Tsatsos System located in hex 0407. It is the homeworld of House Eridanus and was the former homeworld of the disbanded A.C.R.E. Corporation. Planetary Details A.C.R.E. dominated the surface of Demnoph with great arcologies as well as industrial and agricultural complexes, which together span the entire surface of the planet and produce everything its massive population needs, as well as a great deal for export. Most inhabitants live their whole life inside and don’t see much of the sky or nature. As such the population seems depressed and bereaved of all hope to visitors, something that is only amplified by a cultural focus on efficiency across the planet. Nonetheless, there are beautiful places to be found on Demnoph. Those who live or work in the upper or outer levels of an arcology complex enjoy a great view across the planet’s surface, or of the exotic colorful auroras playing across most of Demnoph's thin atmosphere. The agricultural complexes can be a stark contrast to Demnoph's usual aesthetic, and staff working there are often thought of by the rest of the population as irritatingly lively and happy. Demnoph is a relatively small planet with comparable size to Mercury but is very dense due to its makeup of metals. Due to that its surface gravity is at about 1.2g, just high enough to make most off world visitors slightly uncomfortable. Climate and Atmosphere Demnoph's atmosphere is thin and just barely breathable. Atmospheric shielding to keeps the remaining air in and recyclers the size of a city block to make the air breathable, although it becomes horribly stale when the air scrubbers are being cleaned out on a bi-monthly basis. These shields reflect the light of the city-wide planet and glow a variety of blues, yellows, greens, and sometimes pinks. Various streaks of color trace the skyline from time to time, mimicking the ancient Earth legend of the Aurora Borealis and Australis. In reality, this phenomenon is caused by radioactive runoff gliding across the surface of the atmospheric shield as it bleeds into space. Demnoph has a warm climate but the low atmospheric density and lack of ocean results in a planet that has very little ability to hold heat. Thus, while Demnoph's days are warm, the temperature can easily fluctuate 30-40 Kelvin between the afternoon and pre-dawn twilight. The atmosphere has a difficult time holding the moisture freed from the destruction of the planet's natural water deposits and so precipitation is nearly constant. Wet snow is common at night but it has typically been evaporated and washed away by noon. :The effects of this thin and low oxygen atmosphere on the people can be seen below. Nature and Wildlife :For main article, see Demnoph Nature and Wildlife. Most of the native wildlife of Demnoph has died off, as it could not adapt to the rapid urbanization of the planet. Everything that lives now on Demnoph is either grown for agricultural purposes or has adjusted to grow in the sewer system. Notable Locations The Ziggurat The Ziggurat was the main office building of A.C.R.E., it is the most advanced structure of its kind despite being built centuries ago. Although you could never tell when looking at its sloped outer surface the building has gone under several, sometimes extreme, interior renovations since it was constructed. The shape of The Ziggurat became synonymous with the A.C.R.E. Corporation. One could say The Ziggurat is a nation unto itself, each floor the size of a country. It is the biggest building on Demnoph by an extreme margin, extending up even into outer space. Due to its enormous size and the thin atmosphere, it is visible from unimaginable distances. The building's structure splays out far beneath the soil. The part visible on the surface is only the tip of the head of the monstrous iceberg. The Ziggurat's blackened walls and windows are made of some of the strongest materials known to the Acheron Rho sector. The complete plans of the building itself are a closely guarded secret and were held only by the Directors of A.C.R.E. Local folk tales often speculate on the secret and nefarious goings-on at the roots of the Ziggurat. Pilgrim's Landing Pilgrim's Landing (or simply "The Landing") was the first landing zone of the House Eridanus Factory-Ship, Silent Acquisition. Home to one of the largest contiguous religious structures in the sector, the Landing is also the location of the arcology known as "The City-Basilica of Sublime Charity". The population of the City-Basilica varies widely with religious holidays and pilgrimages but conservative estimates put the permanent population of the arcology at nearly three hundred thousand. Built with little regard to cost constraint, the basilica outline of the building can be seen from orbit by the naked eye. The Landing is also home to one of the largest memorial monuments in the sector, the Verglas Spire. The spire is a kilometer high engraved surface that records the names and a brief biography of every Imperial Citizen of note. Dead Harvest All wasteland and ruins where once there was an attempt to synthesize Trillium. It was also used prior to the War Against the Artificials but eventually synths had to be disbanded, this sector and its research were abandoned again. Dome Oasis The last bastion of old Demnoph, fighting to keep its heritage and tradition. It has a giant dome to protect it from the harsh industrial atmosphere that has plagued Demnoph for years, allowing natural food production to be viable. The few native plants and animals that neither died off nor adapted in the rapid urbanization of the planet all live under the dome. Sealed off from pollutants the oasis provides a break from the hustle and bustle of Demnophi life. For those that can afford it, this is a place is frequented as a relaxation spot. Business conducted within the dome is heavily regulated and meets the highest standards of environmental protections, as a result inside markups of upwards of 500% for basic goods is not uncommon. The Cisterns The Demnoph Oceanic Storage System was established in the early 2800s by A.C.R.E. planetary development crews as a compact storage system for Demnoph's oceans, which were to be drained to make room for expanding industry. The Oceanic Storage System is based around ten enormous chambers buried in the planet's crust, each named after one of the ten holy virtues. Squatters in the pipes and living on the waters have developed a unique local culture and are superstitious of those living above. :See Demnoph Infrastructure & Zoning#The Cisterns for more detail on this location. Also see below for details on culture of inhabitants of the cisterns. Infrastructure :''See Demnoph Infrastructure & Zoning for details. The total urbanization of Demnoph's surface makes the typical distinction between countries and cities inapplicable. Instead, Demnoph is divided into different zones, each with their own tasks. Grav-trains provide easy and quick transport between the zones. History The history of Demnoph is deeply tied to history of the Empire itself. As one of the Core Worlds, Demnoph was one of the first colonized planets in the sector. Sharing in the prosperity and rapid growth of the Core, Demnoph’s population has exploded. The planet was once a golden world, with temperate weather as well as flora and fauna suited to human life. Demnoph's human presence eventually overwhelmed the world's ability to provide as it was slowly consumed by the massive cities that started to totally enclose the world. Pre-Scream and the A.C.R.E. Lease Demnoph was once ruled by a now-forgotten noble house until it was impounded before The Scream by House Eridanus. A line of minor nobles of House Eridanus ruled over Demnoph until it was taken over by A.C.R.E. in 2806. A.C.R.E. Stewardship Under the governance of A.C.R.E., Demnoph was exploited for all its riches and choked to death by the humans that call it home. Pavement and concrete subsumed the grass, and starlight was replaced by the steady glow of the neon lights that permeate every corner of the planet. Only the most hardy of the planet's fauna and flora survived this change. The remainder of Demnoph's native life consists of the vermin-like alien life and extremely hardy species of flora that attach to any source of water or energy. Corporate rule over the remained undisputed until 3171, when internal A.C.R.E. politics led to the Demnoph Collective Uprising. The revolt lasted for over two months until A.C.R.E., with the help of House Cygnus and House Serpens, managed to re-establish control over the world. Aftermath of the Synth War A.C.R.E.'s policies ensured that Demnophi were protected from the worst horrors of the First and Second Imperial Civil Wars, which made the company very wealthy and ensured a high quality of life for those who came to Demnoph. However, A.C.R.E. could not insulate Demnoph from the effects of the War Against the Artificials. Synthetic Humans were used ubiquitously on Demnoph, integrated into society, and widely admired as model citizens. Thus, A.C.R.E.'s decision to support the victorious anti-Cygnus forces and retire all Synthetic Humans resulted in massive cultural and economic trauma. Though Demnoph's human population is at a record high and density remains extreme, the planet suffered an extreme depopulation event when synthetic humans were eliminated. Anyone over thirty remembers when the majority of their friends, coworkers, and heroes were forcibly decommissioned and reprocessed, and the long years of want before production recovered enough to end extreme rationing. Cultural production was decimated, and shoddily censored versions of classic stories and lyrics were enforced, even though everyone knew the originals. The loss of Synthetic Humans also precipitated a labor crisis. While under other conditions such a crisis might have led to a higher share of wealth for Demnoph's workers, A.C.R.E.'s monopsonistic position in the labor market allowed it to protect its own interests instead. Pay shrank as a percentage of A.C.R.E.'s revenue and shrank even more when the overall decrease in production is considered, and working hours were lengthened. Though these measures have been somewhat loosened, the Demnophi standard of living has unquestionably regressed. These adverse conditions for labor precipitated the Demnoph Collective Uprising, but the uprising was eventually crushed with the help of the victorious Houses Crux and Serpens. Thus, Demnophi have not had the opportunity for cultural realignment that Yakiyans have. Despite these setbacks, A.C.R.E. managed to claw back civil order and public faith in the company. House Eridanus Stewardship In the latter half of 3200, at the height of the Sector Trade Organization uprising of that year, House Eridanus began an extensive auditing process of The A.C.R.E. Corporation. The details of the audit are still coming to light, but has resulted in corporate assets on the planet falling into the direct control of nobles, with a significant majority going into Eridanii hands. The audit appeared to financially bankrupt the corporation and resulted in the transfer of the planetary lease into the demesne of the House. A noble governance structure, known unofficially and mockingly as ERCA (not to be confused with the Yakiyahn Political organization “Entity for the Removal of Corporate Agents”.) For many Demnophi little has changed apart from the removal trapezoidal iconography from public life. However, essential Imperial duties, such as justice and healthcare that had been delayed, suppressed, replace, or even halted completely during the Conflict of 3200, resumed under House Eridanus’s stewardship. The fate of The Ziggurat and the C.O.R.E. Facilities is under review and much speculation. Demographics and Culture Demnoph is one of the most cosmopolitan planets in the sector. It experienced its first wave of immigration during the early ages of the planet's management by A.C.R.E. due to heavy worker-recruitment campaigns, and secondary waves of immigration during the First and Second Imperial Civil Wars and during the War Against the Artificials. As immigrants are considered a useful source of labor, Demnoph is a popular destination for refugees and those looking for a better life. Population Due to the constant pressures of immigration and cultural mixing, the official population structure of Demnoph is constantly changing. A.C.R.E. constantly shuffles its employees between housing zones and even between planets to prevent population blocs from forming (though wild theories purport that this is also to make sure nobody develops local loyalties other than to the company). The mixing pot of immigrant cultures, local folkways, and A.C.R.E. cultural propaganda that formed much of Demnoph's primary culture is known as Demnophi. According to old A.C.R.E. census records, over 98% of the population consider themselves Demnophi, but this is a testament to the broadness of Demnophi culture rather than its ubiquity. The next largest cultural groups as measured by self-reporting as of the most recent census were, in descending order of population, Imperial, Yakiyan, Hong Luan, and Tiberian. Following the Eridanii acquisition of the planet, projections predict that either self-described Tiberians will increase greatly or that Demnophi culture will come to reflect Tiberian much more closely. Language As the property that became A.C.R.E. split from House Eridanus 400 years ago, the languages first spoken on Demnoph were High and Bastard Imperial, and Corp Cant. In 3200, the majority of Demnophi speak Demnophian on a day-to-day basis. Demnophian is a descendant of Tiberian Bastard Imperial and sounds similar to the Imperial outsiders are used to, but after 400 years of separation they are no longer mutually comprehensible. On the other hand, the High Imperial used in the boardroom and among upper management has remained consistent with the rest of the sector, as most of its users are ex-members of the nobility and speak it already. Most members of upper management also learn Corp Cant for ease of communication between A.C.R.E., the various corporations, and House Eridanus. Being fluent in Imperial and Corp Cant is a requirement to be able to enter the upper echelon. Except in the rare case of a noble who was born on Demnoph, most nobles do not speak Demnophian. Some lesser Viscounts and the rare Count have begun learning the local tongue to better manage and meet the needs of their subjects, however, most nobles rely on bilingual serfs to manage day-to-day operations of factories and facilities. These individuals are quite rare and their loyalties to the nobility or the now latent propaganda of the now defunct ACRE corporation are in considerable question. Most serfs, if they don’t already know Imperial, Corp Cant, or a Tiberian dialect, do not have the time or resources to learn anything but the language of the streets. As Demnoph is a highly cosmopolitan planet, many minority languages are also spoken and Demnophi are used to dealing with them. The most common minority languages are Imperial, Yakjah, and Hong Luan. Faith The majority of Demnophi follow The High Church of Messiah-as-Emperor, though workers receive little time to study religion independently. Nonetheless, the High Church has a significant cultural influence. Since the War Against the Artificials, the Repentant Faith and its many sects have had a considerable following among some of the less jaded inhabitants of Demnoph. For a brief period following the signing of the Treaty of Cabina, A.C.R.E. made the Church of Humanity, Repentant religious broadcasts available to its workers on an equal footing to those of the High Church; these broadcasts have halted under Eridanii control. Demnoph follows all major Church prayer days as well as Vacation Day. Once an occasion mandated by The A.C.R.E. Corporation, Vacation Day is celebrated through gifting symbols of financial transaction such as coupons and gift cards to loved ones. Devotees of the Good Work :For main article, see Devotees of the Good Work This sect of the Repentant Faith has a relatively small, considering Demnoph’s immense population, but nonetheless significant following on Demnoph estimated to be at least over a hundred million adherents. Originally an A.C.R.E. movement to combat the rising sentiments that would eventually result in the formation of the UPC, it has evolved into something much bigger, and somewhat different. The Devotees of the Good Work believe in the worker as a model of human perfection. According to the original Good Work doctrine, the synth was the perfect worker, and an example for all human workers to emulate, followers worshiping them as such openly before the War Against the Artificials. After the truth of the Cygnus betrayal was revealed, the Devotees of the Good Work officially renounced this doctrine, but even now secret synth sympathy is prevalent within the sect. Out of all Repentant sects, the Devotees, which their conception of workaholism as the epitome of worship, have always been the most useful, and thus treated the most favorably, by the powers in charge of Demnoph. This was true under A.C.R.E., and in spite of some backlash due to Devotee support of the STO cause, continues to be true under House Eridanus. The Sky is a Lie :For main article, see the Sky is a Lie The Sky is a Lie is among the stranger sects of The Church of Humanity, Repentant. It believes that Demnoph has no surface, that in fact the city-planet continues in all directions for as far as possible. It is a point of contention within the sect whether the city-universe is infinite or not. The sect also believes that the core of Demnoph is in fact a physical manifestation of the Divine, the body of the God Soul that warms the universe. It is this second belief that led the sect into the arms of the CHR after the Church of Humanity Repentant's Demnoph members offered the sect protection in exchange for membership. Though some in the CHR have raised concerns about letting such demonstrably false beliefs go unchallenged, community leaders emphasized the need to respect local customs and allow people to believe and worship in their own way. Wave Whisperers :For main article, see Wave Whisperers. While most of the minor cults and superstitions surrounding Demnoph's cisterns have little relation to any major religious organization, there is one exception. The Wave Whisperers are an official, if unruly, sub-sect of the Church of Humanity, Repentant who grew out of the cults and superstitions surrounding the Demnoph Cisterns. Their founder believed that not only were the Cisterns very much inhabited by great ocean spirits, but that these spirits were neither Divine nor semi-Divine, but alien. The Wave Whisperers believe that they can hear these roars in the drip of Demnoph faucets, in the waves of the Cisterns' reservoirs, and in the rushing of water through pipes. They believe they can hear, and when they hear, they repent. For the Wave Whisperers, the ultimate act of repentance is to break open Demnoph's cisterns and flood the planet, though as of yet they have only committed minor acts of pipe sabotage. For this reason, they have historically faced oppression by the authorities. Crime Crime is uncommon on Demnoph relative to its population size, as there is not much difference in wealth between most of the population. About 95% of the population are simple workers and the rest earn enough to ensure the safety of their own assets. The list of local criminal offenses in addition to Imperial law is short, and mostly restricted to various forms of theft or destruction of corporate property. However, there are slum-like areas in most city districts, within the giant underground aqueducts and pipes. After these areas were purged of synths, policing in these areas was halted due to the high danger posed to the policing force there. In these areas, violent crime is rampant and not punished or prosecuted. Anyone going to such a slum should be armed and ready to defend themselves, lest they be be robbed, beaten, shot, or worse. As a result, the sight of police is uncommon on Demnoph, but when a crime does happen, the well-equipped House Crux Demnoph Judicial Enforcement Services are not to be trifled with. During the Conflict of 3200, A.C.R.E. took a direct role in enforcing justice. After Crux police were asked to leave the planet due to rising tensions in the sector, crime has been handled by a combination of surveillance, automated fines, and C.O.R.E. intervention. Due to the limited personnel available, fining criminals is greatly preferred. If this option was not available, criminals were logged and arrested when they next report to work. C.O.R.E. typically only deployed if a situation escalated beyond control and force was allegedly absolutely required, or if a serious crime had been committed by a visitor. With the absence of Crux officers, handling of serious crimes was somewhat ad-hoc and unpredictable. Deemed a political nuisance during the STO uprising, Demnophi nobility were given mandatory vacations on A.C.R.E.'s Syeh resort and to Menagerie. Eridanii stewardship has re-established many of them back on the planet or charged them with updating and improving the lunar resort. Culture As a culture, Demnophi see themselves as hardworking, practical, but ultimately civilized and loyal people. Demnophi are aware that they are largely a population of menial, expendable employees: one common form of humor is to compete to suggest the most convoluted and bloody solution to a minor problem. However, Demnophi also take pride in playing an important part in something much larger than themselves. Most employees have perfected their argument for why their Department is the most important. This feeling, made more acute in the wake of the labor crisis, has helped to stabilize Demnoph in the wake of the Demnoph Collective Uprising. Those from other planets sometimes remark that the only thing that makes a Demnophi is calling yourself one. While Demnophi culture was engineered by A.C.R.E to be welcoming, this is not exactly true. Demnophi culture is a powerful force on Demnoph and abroad, and Demnophi generally believe that foreigners can be taught the local ways quickly. A rite of passage for laborers arriving on Demnoph is to be invited to their coworkers' Vacation Day party, which can typically be expected to happen on the first available opportunity, or perhaps the second if their arrival is timed very close to Vacation Day itself. Productivity A.C.R.E. encourages conformity and discourages disruptive argumentation and public shaming. Instead, employees are expected to maintain a sense of personal responsibility for their own behavior. The expected standard of propriety is quite strict, but it is mostly concerned with being as productive as possible and not causing disruptions, rather than a typical sense of personal virtue. For example, jumping a queue is seriously offensive to a Demnophi, while an affair that does not interfere with one’s work is only mildly looked down upon, and crude language doesn’t bat an eye. A person who violates these norms is simply referred to as unproductive. Alongside the education system, the A.C.R.E. Productivity Report is the main avenue for inculcating social norms in Demnophi, which it does by gradually introducing new expectations for employees. When that fails, primitive fines are always an option. Demnophi generally trust that this system will do its job without their interference, and are usually content to ignore unproductive behavior or at worst report it to management, though they may intervene out of concern for a friend. Those who blatantly ignore Demnophi social norms are typically assumed to be new employees in the period of adjustment or visitors, who are both held to a lesser standard of behavior. Education Education is free for Eridanii serfs and begins at birth. The first level of education is 1th School and lasts until age eight. (Ordinal numbers on the planet are simply the arabic numeral followed by “th” to improve efficiencies.) 1th School students live in special residencies with oversight appropriate to their ages. Education at this age is mostly a form of childcare and a way to inculcate Demnophi values into children. While 1th School is optional, most common Demnophi do not have the means to raise a child otherwise. The second level of education is 2th School and lasts until age fourteen. 2th School students are expected to live independently, in group apartments, or with their families and are taught basic literacy, numeracy, religion, civics, work ethic, and business skills. 2th School was suspended for several years following the retirement of Demnoph's synthetic workforce, but it has since been reinstated. As 2th School is more of an educational program than a childcare facility, costs like food and housing were typically not paid by the planetary government. However, volunteer programs, (formally parts of A.C.R.E’s G.R.O.W initiative) which provide working children with hands-on experience, training, free meals, and access to higher education to augment their families income. Upon completion of 2th School, young Demnophi are finished with their formal education. The graduate is expected to get a job, where they will learn whatever skills are required for their specific work, though some who can afford to continue their education independently instead. Employers are responsible for further training of their employees. In some cases, employees receive significant additional education after becoming employed, but mostly counts prefer to avoid spending more than absolutely necessary on further schooling for serfs. This system is designed, as much as possible, to standardize education and remove the burden of raising children from their parents, so as to encourage the highest level of childbirth possible. However, it does mean that most Demnophi are partially or completely estranged from their parents. Noble residents and freemen, however, often prefer to be more involved in their children's lives, and choose to hire private tutors instead. Oxygen Natives of Demnoph are acclimatized to the thin atmosphere and have developed genetic mutations which allow them to breathe it comfortably. Although some can make the adjustment, foreigners typically need more oxygen to avoid passing out. Oxygen masks are associated with foreigners and their use is considered amusing by locals. This phenomenon has given rise to the derogatory terms "ox-hog" and the more offensive "ox-huffer", which can refer to a weak person or simply to any foreigner. Visitors looking to blend in sometimes invest in discreet oxygen dispersal hats and coats, which blow pressurized oxygen across the face. Nobility can expect a populist popularity boost if they can easily adjust to the air pressure on Demnoph. An average Demnophi in a high-oxygen environment can comfortably hold their breath in excess of several minutes. Natives of Demnoph who go abroad to other planets typically experience a sensation of euphoria and heightened energy until they have adjusted, which is known as the "Demnoph Smile". Ironically, this phenomenon gave rise to an impression that A.C.R.E.'s Demnoph workforce was euphorically happy, and experience a slow comedown once they are away from their homeworld. Oxygen parlors Oxygen parlors, which usually provide alcohol and a standard partial pressure of oxygen, are somewhat common and mainly cater to foreigners. However, there is also a consistent clientele of employees who have gone abroad and developed a dependency on oxygen euphoria. Although occasional visits to oxygen parlors are considered normal, "oxygen dependency" is considered a serious societal problem. Recently, these parlors have become unsanctioned, though tolerated, meeting grounds for a young cultural revitalization movement. Conversely, there is a "low-ox" subculture whose members compete to abstain from oxygen, although this practice is discouraged by management. Art Most serfs receive little time for artistic expression, but it is not uncommon that Demnophi are encouraged to channel their artistic instincts into their work. Though many noble companies have managers that vet projects for wasteful resource expenditure, one can occasionally notice the results of an employee pouring extraordinary effort into the garbage chute lid or other menial project they were assigned to. Historically, A.C.R.E. held frequent artistic contests to decorate their public spaces. Winners were usually chosen based on moral suitability, lack of distraction, and A.C.R.E. branding. A.C.R.E.'s fleet of combat ships were named by such a contest. As all contest winners are kept anonymous, there are few celebrity artists. Statues of Directors and of interpretations of Ordy Mary were very common, but are now relegated to storage facilities. Similar art contests sponsored by House Lyra have replaced them after the Eridanii audit. Stories The most culturally prominent stories are High Church parables and morality plays about the Working Class Hero, fondly named Ordy Mary. The details of the description of Ordy Mary vary based on the telling, but they always stand up for the Ten Virtues. These stories have been adopted for books, television, and film for all ages in addition to their traditional medium of street play. Many episodes of the popular TV series “Timmy, the Cornboy” are based on these traditional stories. Music Synth Jazz (or, as it has been branded as since the War Against the Artificials, Jyzz) is a genre of music native to and perfected on Demnoph. Jyzz music is usually performed by a band of one to five performers using specialized synthesizers. The most common such synthesizers are the Trumpyano, the Pyanettet, the Trombophone, the Three Keyboards, the Percussive Gytar, and the Deep Tone Resonator. These instruments evolved as many traditional instruments performed poorly in a climate with drastic temperature changes. The genre has an unfortunate association with synthetic musicians as well, as it developed in tandem with an initiative involving House Cygnus to perfect synthetic musicians. Even in the present day, many of the greatest Jyzz players are regularly accused of being illegal synthetics. The Jyzz Standards are difficult for merely human performers to master, and new variations are being developed that are easier to play. The official line is that at least these versions have soul, but most would admit privately that they are not as impressive. Among the most well-known Jyzz performers are Ashok Saleh (illegal synthetic BF:RIZD-9VE retired 23 January 3191), Folarin Yang, and Inez Grey (illegal synthetic TV:0MQU-WVE retired 7 September 3184). Another popular Demnophi genre is Simwave, which was developed by workers using electronic synthesizer consoles in their spare time and was heavily influenced by the soundtracks of A.C.R.E.'s popular simulator games. The genre was then re-appropriated by A.C.R.E. and spread to a wider market. Demnoph is perhaps most musically famous for the Manufacturing Planet soundscape albums. This popular series of albums was produced by A.C.R.E. and ranges from simple recordings of Demnoph streets to more traditional ambient musical productions. The most well known tracks from these albums involve the "Cries of the Lost Directors", a haunting sonic phenomenon produced by wind blowing through the wind damping tunnels of large structures. This phenomenon is quite common in the mornings and evenings when thermal tides cause consistent air pressure systems to arise. These albums are quite a bit less popular among Demnophi, who can hear Demnoph whenever they want. Cuisine For day-to-day dining, the Meal Provision Authority (formerly an A.C.R.E product,) is the standard among Demnophi. The Meal Provision Authority provides nutritionally-complete meals to subscribers in exchange for a monthly fee. Several tiers of service are offered, ranging from Economy to Premium Diamond Choice, which provide meals from the extremely cheap to absurdly extravagant. The Meal Provision Authority offers special visitors' passages which can be billed daily or monthly. The Meal Provision Authority takes advantage of Demnoph's advanced logistics systems to disable meals to its subscribers wherever they are within ten minutes of being requested, or at specified times. Delivery on demand is also available for a variety of meal products. Some entrepreneurial-minded Demnophi purchase grav-vehicle licenses to operate mobile food trucks that can arrive to serve groups of customers wherever they happen to be and avoid the exorbitant costs of building space. As a result of the existence of these services, visitors are often caught off-guard by the lack of restaurant facilities. However, pay-by-the-minute dining booths of all qualities are available for rent with built-in Meal Provision Authority kiosks. In the wake of its loss of Yakiyah, The A.C.R.E. Corporation began to innovate with mycoprotein, which can be grown cheaply in vats to fit any nutritional and tissue profile. The culinary experts of the Meal Provision Authority are constantly experimenting with new creations. The most successful re-enter the rotation and became A.C.R.E. products for sector-wide sale while he less successful are discarded, or at least demoted to a lower tier of service. The advent of noble control over the planet and the MPA Expand for examples of the Meal Provision Authority's most successful creations. * A.C.R.E. Fried Spheres with Spicy Imitation Cheese Powder 234 * A.C.R.E. Sweet Thins with Sticky Vanillin Residue 106 * A.C.R.E. Chewy Strands in Thick Broth 442 * A.C.R.E. Infused Ice Slurry in Fried Bowl 185 * A.C.R.E. Bitter Thins in Wrap, Sweet Residue 33 * A.C.R.E. Thick Sour Beverage with Sweet Spheres 119 * A.C.R.E. Chilled Sour Emulsion with Spiced Porous Wafer 197 * A.C.R.E. Starchy Block with Seasoning 15 The most successful options were often also available in single-item robotic food stalls. Recreation While House Eridanus does maintain typical alcohol-serving bars and clubs on Demnoph, and they remain popular, these establishments typically require purchase of an anti-hangover shot, proof that a patron is a visitor to the planet, or not working tomorrow before allowing entry. These regulations have encouraged the growth of the oxygen parlor industry. Oxygen has the advantage of actually enhancing mental performance with no lasting side effects. Off-worlders are typically unimpressed its euphoric effects, but they can foster serious dependency issues for many Demnophi. While ACRE produced a variety of simulators and holo-games such as A.C.R.E. Space Cornhole, A.C.R.E. Light Racer Simulator 3200, A.C.R.E. Cargo Crane Simulator, A.C.R.E. Mycoprotein Mixer, and A.C.R.E. Air Traffic Time Trial, a team from both the Bureau of Artifex and the Bureau of Texarchs have imposed limits on their use until further study of the material is understood. Sector-wide updates have limited playtimes and capped save data. Many of these simulation games involved operating industrial machinery and were reported to have the beneficial effect of skill-building and promoting cross-department camaraderie. A.C.R.E. made its games available to workers who might not otherwise be able to afford the expensive physical equipment in massive arcades, and individual game machines are often located in the backs of stores. The company often used the highscores of these simulators to recruit elite workers for the relevant departments. Sport Psiball Demnoph has a Psiball team, the Demnoph Harvesters who have been suspended for the 3200 season. Zero G-Golf The Crea Orbital Club is located in orbit around Demnoph, is one of the most famous country clubs and Zero G-Golf course in Acheron Rho. Satellites Creus XIII Creus XIII was used by A.C.R.E. as warehouse for goods scheduled to be shipped off world. The warehouse is mostly automated and only overseen by a few human workers. Creus XIII has an orbital ruin named Esira, which was once the in-system synth production facility for Demnoph. It was one of the first structures destroyed by House Crux at the beginning of the War Against the Artificials. Syeh Syeh is the location of a moon base named Talsi 8. Tasli 8 was built by A.C.R.E. as hotel for VIPs visiting Demnoph and as a corporate retreat for upper management. It sports an excellent view onto the planet and is one of the most luxurious locations in-system. Crime rings attempted to bribe their way into control of the hotel to no success. A.C.R.E. converted the Talsi 8 resort into a political prison for Demnophi nobles during the conflict of 3200. Following the Audit of the same year, these nobles have re-asserted themselves on Demnoph proper. Tsyomatsa The moon Tsyomatsa is the location of a research base named Loja 6. A.C.R.E. previously unknowingly leased Loja 6 to a group of Serpens scientists to do off the record research on ferals. After the lease was suddenly broken, A.C.R.E. Collection Teams learned that the hideous results of these experiments had managed to get lose, forcing the company to close off the facility indefinitely. A recently abandoned resort dedicated to A.C.R.E’s most influential brand, Fizzy Cheese, was unaffected by the events at Loja 6. Nominally the moon's primary attraction, the Fizzy Cheese Sector-wide Resort, was a holiday destination boasting theme parks, hotels, ballrooms, and a wide variety of other attractions themed around the sector's most popular carbonated dairy drink. The resort also offered guided tours of the original Fizzy Cheese factory. Stations Keul 7 Keul 7 was A.C.R.E's orbital pretech research base. It works in conjunction with Agassiz 7, where the pretech is stored. Not much is known about the base, even by spy agencies, and as far as the public is concerned, the base does not exist at all. It is very heavily defended and secured by a variety of overlapping security systems. Agassiz 7 Agassiz 7 is a space station orbiting Demnoph whose only function is to protect the ancient pretech researched on Keul 7. It has multiple consecutive layers of vaults with the best of security available, each layer more secure and dangerous than the last. Within the inner vaults, the pretech stored is very dangerous and mysterious. The guards of Agassiz 7 are dangerously odd humans, changed by their proximity to the pretech stored there. Like Keul 7, Agassiz 7 is subject to the strictest secrecy. Peridier 7 A reliable refueling station for transport and passenger ships. The station is only semi-automatic - with a handful of overseers on site to observe the process and perform routine maintenance. The small staff has a lot of free time, which they often use for astronomy or other occupations. In charge of the station is a local named Managing Logistics Satisfaction Supervisor Stan, who willingly took the position to live in seclusion, as it offered him more time to search for alien signals. Just don't mention his foil hat and you'll get along great. Rumor has it that A.C.R.E. sent sub-directors and managers here as punishments or if they needed to be out of public eye for a time. Turbi A brand-new and fully-automatic refueling station managed by a local VI overseen from Demnoph via transmitters. This is an attempt to improve efficiency by reducing on-board staff and upkeep. The Goba Project The Goba Project is a gas giant mine thought lost to A.C.R.E. in an accident some years back. Recently, rebels thought to be partly affiliated with the UPC found the Mine and managed to partially restore its operations, though it is still in disrepair and only producing a small fraction of its original yield. These rebels sell some of the resources mined there to pirates, smugglers and other unsavory elements, the station's primary income stream. Lamas Mine Project This facility orbits the nearby gas giant Lamas and siphons off various elements to refine into fuel. Recently the mine project was upgraded to harvest the deeper layers of the Gas Giant and to expand the variety of yielded substances. During a test trial of these upgrades, the company received highly anomalous results, after which a team of lawyers and scientists was sent to oversee the study. SWN World Tags Megacorps The world is dominated by classic cyberpunk-esque megacorporations, each one far more important than the vestigial national remnants that encompass them. These megacorps are usually locked in a cold war, trading and dealing with each other even as they try to strike in deniable ways. An over-council of corporations usually acts to bring into line any that get excessively overt in their activities. Enemies: *Megalomaniacal executive *Underling looking to use the PCs as catspaws *Ruthless mercenary who wants what the PCs have Friends: *Victim of megacorp scheming *Offworlder merchant in far over their head *Local reformer struggling to cope with megacorp indifference Complications: *The megacorps are the only source of something vital to life on this world *An autonomous Mandate system acts to punish excessively overt violence *The megacorps are struggling against much more horrible national governments Things: *Blackmail on a megacorp exec *Keycodes to critical corp secrets *Proof of corp responsibility for a heinously unacceptable public atrocity *Data on a vital new product line coming out soon Places: *A place plastered in megacorp ads *A public plaza discreetly branded *Private corp military base Societal Dispair The world’s dominant society has lost faith in itself. Whether through some all-consuming war, great catastrophe, overwhelming outside culture, or religious collapse, the natives no longer believe in their old values, and search desperately for something new. Fierce conflict often exists between the last believers in the old dispensation and the nihilistic or searching disciples of the new age. Enemies: *Zealot who blames outsiders for the decay *Nihilistic warlord *Offworlder looking to exploit the local despair Friends: *Struggling messenger of a new way *Valiant paragon of a fading tradition *Local going through the motions of serving a now-irrelevant role Complications: *A massive war discredited all the old values *Outside powers are working to erode societal confidence for their own benefit *A local power is profiting greatly from the despair *The old ways were meant to aid survival on this world and their passing is causing many new woes Things: *Relic that would inspire a renaissance *Art that would inspire new ideas *Priceless artifact of a now-scorned belief Places: *Empty temple *Crowded den of obliviating vice *Smoky hall full of frantic speakers Urbanized Surface The world’s land area is covered with buildings that extend downward for multiple levels. Such worlds either have a population in the trillions, extremely little land area, or are largely-abandoned due to some past catastrophe. Agriculture and resource extraction are part of the urban complex, and there may be an advanced maintenance system that may not be entirely under the control of present natives. Enemies: *Maintenance AI that hates outsiders *Tyrant of a habitation block *Deep-dwelling prophet who considers “the sky” a blasphemy to be quelled Friends: *Local yearning for wild spaces *Grubby urchin of the underlevels *Harried engineer trying to maintain ancient works *Grizzled hab cop Complications: *The urban blocks are needed to survive the environment *The blocks were part of an ancient device of world-spanning size *The blocks require constant maintenance to avoid dangerous types of decay Things: *Massively efficient power source *Map of the secret ways of a zone *Passkey into restricted hab block areas Places: *Giant hab block now devoid of inhabitants *Chemical-reeking underway *Seawater mine full of salt and massive flowing channels Category:Planets Category:Tsatsos Category:Demnoph Category:House Eridanus Category:A.C.R.E.